1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mounting device for mounting a front wheel axle on a stroller frame, more particularly to a mounting device which facilitates assembly and disassembly of a front wheel axle on and from a stroller frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
A three-wheeled stroller is known to include a front wheel and two spaced-apart rear wheels. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional three-wheeled stroller frame which includes an inverted U-shaped handle 11 with parallel side arms 111, a parallel pair of rear support rods 12 disposed below and connected pivotally to the side arms 111, and a transverse shaft 13 connected to lower ends of the rear support rods 12 and carrying two rear wheels 14 at two opposite ends thereof. The stroller frame has a front end portion formed with a pair of spaced-apart side tubes 112 for cooperatively carrying a front wheel 15. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the side tubes 112 has a flat distal end portion 112a which is formed with a notch 113 and an engaging hole 114 above the notch 113. The front wheel 15 has a wheel axle 16 with two opposite end portions which are extended respectively into the notches 113, and which are secured to the side tubes 112 by means of a securing device 17. The securing device 17 includes an engaging plate 173 that abuts tightly against the distal end portion 112a of a respective one of the side tubes 112a so as to clamp the distal end portion 112a of the respective side tube 112 between the engaging plate 173 and an adjacent nut 171 on the respective end portion of the wheel axle 16. The engaging plate 173 has a bent tip 174 for engaging the engaging hole 114 in the distal end portion 112a of the respective side tube 112. The securing device 17 further includes a cylindrical cam member 170 and an operating lever 172 which are manually operable to push the engaging plate 173 toward the distal end portion 112a of the respective side tube 112 for abutting tightly against the latter during assembly of the wheel axle 16 to the side tubes 112. When it is desired to disassemble the front wheel axle 16 from the stroller frame, the cam member 170 and the operating lever 172 have to be operated for loosening the engaging plate 173 from the distal end portion 112a of the respective side tube 112. The assembly and disassembly operations are found to be somewhat inconvenient to conduct.